What is an optical fibre connector?
Let’s start with the basics: an optical fibre connector is a component which is attached to the end of an optical fibre, which when coupled to a similar element, enables a flexible/routable mechanical connection between optical networks. Due to the very small diameter of optical fibres; precise alignment is necessary to allow for the efficient transfer of light between the fibres with minimal attenuation.
Connectors come in all shapes and sizes depending on their application needs and the most common connectors you will find in a telecoms environment are LC, SC, and MPO.
The connector end-face
Connector end-faces were historically predominantly 2.5mm in diameter, but with the development of the data centre market sector and the drive for port density, 1.25mm is now the dominant diameter.
Keeping the size of the optical fibre in mind, now let’s consider why you might experience network failures. A good connection is the result of light being able to travel easily from one connector to another with little or no attenuation, which degrades the signal and is often the result of contamination. Many network failures occur as a result of contaminated connectors and plugs.
Contamination of the core is the main cause of these failures. Multi-mode fibre used in telecommunications has two core diameters – 62.5µm or 50µm. Single-mode has a core diameter of 8µm to 10µm. Because there are so many different types of contamination ranging from 0.001µm to over 1mm in size, a single particle could cover the entire fibre end-face and significantly impact network integrity.
When contamination occurs, the light will either reflect and cause back reflection or it will be lost (also known as insertion loss). Depending on the severity of contamination, this light loss can range from minor to severe enough that it causes network failure.
Contamination comes in multiple forms, which can be classified into one of the three groups listed below:
- Environmental is the largest cause of contamination as it relates to foreign objects affecting the light path. It can be airborne, transferred from other objects or through human contact.
- Chemical contamination is related to the incorrect use of cleaning agents/solvents which cause degradation.
- Mechanical contamination infers to defective or damaged connector end-faces caused by mishandling. Due to the unknown contamination, always cleaning the connector end-face is the best practice.
Contamination is bad for business
Because over 70% of network failures are due to contamination, it is safe to say that spec of dirt has the potential to cause plenty of problems ranging from negative customer experience due to poor network service, and inconsistent performance, along with installation and maintenance issues. When it comes to the business impact of contamination, there are three important considerations:
- More servicing costs, which can be procured from FTTH subscriber revisits or out-of-hours emergency service callouts in data centres.
- Increased maintenance due to the reduced lifespan and performance of transmission equipment caused by back reflection affecting the laser diode.
- Connector burnout which happens in high power (>400mW) applications (plugs and receptacles) and causes irreversible damage to the end-face.
To prevent any of these from happening it is best practice to clean then inspect, and if necessary clean again before you connect.
How to clean effectively
To clean an optical connector effectively you need to have the right tools. Using bulkhead cleaners instead of traditional swabs or lint-free tissue products is an easy and efficient way to clean the end-face. Our bulkhead cleaner is the One-Click™ Cleaner, which uses a mechanical push action to advance an optical grade cleaning tape, while the cleaning tip is rotated clockwise and anticlockwise through 180 degrees to ensure the connector end-face is effectively, but gently, cleaned.
Our most recent One-Click development is the PRO series. In addition to a 50% increase in cleaning capacity, it includes an integrated cap and an improved alignment system which reduces errors associated with alignment – features which help to reduce your overall labour cost.
Get in touch for further information on connector cleaning equipment, or to learn more about our connectivity solutions, click here to send us an email or call us on 020 8240 2000.
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